Dental pressure gauge



Oct. 9, 1934. J. v. SPITLER DENTAL PRESSURE GAUGE Filed June 30. 1933 Patented Got. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES eArEN OFFICE DENTAL PRESSURE GAUGE Joseph V. Spitler, Luray, Va.

Application June 30, 1933, Serial No. 678,497

8 Claims.

This invention relates to dental appliances and has special reference to the fitting and adjust ing of artificial teeth.

It is' well understood by dentists that it is highly important that the bite on artificial dentures should properly agree with the bite obtained at the time the impression is taken of the patients mouth prior to extraction of those teeth which have to be removed so that the natural appearance' of the face is preserved and the patient is enabled to use his plate or plates in the same manner in which he previously used his natural teeth.

To preserve the natural appearance of the face the distance between the underside of the chin and the crown of the head must be the same when the artificial denture is fitted as when the natural teeth existed. 7

One important object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved gauge whereby the distance between the crown and chin may be accurately determined prior to teeth extraction and thus be enabled'to be reproduced in the fitting of the artificial denture.

It is obvious that the pressure exerted on the crown by the crown member of such a gauge and the consequent pressure exerted on the chin by the chin member of the gauge are controlling factors in obtaining the proper distance between .the chin and crown. Since too great pressure will tend to compress the fiesh and too little pressure will tend to make too great a reading of the true distance. It is important that such pressure be exerted as will give the true measurement between the bony parts and when this proper pressure is exerted the dentist should be able to reproduce the same pressure in effecting the fitting of the denture.

A second important object of the invention is, therefore, to provide an improved apparatus for this purpose wherein a proper degree of pressure may be exerted on the head by the crown and chin members and wherein this same pressure may be reproduced at the will of the dentist.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be hereafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically claimed. 7

In the accompanying drawing, like character of reference indicate like parts in the several apparatus showing the same applied to a persons head.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof. 7 E Figure 3 is a detailed section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the principle embodiment of the inventionthere is illustrated a crown piece having a body 10 and from the rearupper end of this crown piece extends an arcuate arm 11 adapted to fit over the crown of the patients head; Extend-' ing downwardly from the "body 10'is a rectangular rod 12 whereo'n is mounted a rectangular sleeve 13; From the lower rear portion of this sleeve projects a chin engaging arm 14 which rests against the front of the chin when the device is in use and is provided at'it's lower end with a rearward extension 15 which rests beneath the chin as clearly shown in Figure 1. The lower end of the rod 12 is of circular formation and is provided with a screw thread as at 16. On the lower end is fitted a knurled nut 1'7 and on top of this nut rests a sleeve 18 which forms a seat for the lower end of a coil spring 19 surrounding the rod 12 and engaging at its upper end against a seat 20 beneath the sleeve 13. It will now be plain-that by turningthe 'nut 17 after the device is in place on the patient the tension of the spring 19 may be regulated so that the pressure of the parts 11 and 15 on the head may likewise be regulated.

In order to effect reproduction of the same compression of the spring after the measurement is once made on a patient, there is provided a scale 21 which has its lower end fixed to the sleeve 18 and which, at its upper portion, extends through a guide loop 22 projecting from the sleeve 13 and constituting an index for the scale. Also the upper part of the rod 12 is provided on its front face with a scale 23 and the upper end of the sleeve 13 acts as an index forv this scale '23. Under these conditions when the measurement of a persons head is taken the device is placed in position as shown in Figure 1 'and the reading of the scale 23 is noted after the nut 1'7 hasbeen adjusted to produce such pressure as the dentist may desireon the crown andchin of the patient. Also the reading of the' scale 21 isnoted. vIt will now be obvious that when fitting the artificial denture the dentist is readily able to produce the conditions occurring upon the first measurement since he may apply the device to the patient and manipulate the nut 17 until the readings of the scales 21 and .23 are" the same as before.

Between the sleeve 13 and the body 10 of the crown piece there is mounted on the rod 12 a forehead member 24 which is slidable on the rod and is held in adjusted position by a thumb nut 25. In order that the crown and chin members shall fit on a later adjustment of the devicein the same manner that they fitted when the first measurement was taken it is important that the rod 12 be the same distance from the bones of the face in later measurements as in the original measurement This forehead member 24, after the crown and chin members are adjusted in the original measurement, is adjusted longitudinally of the rod 12 until it properly engages the forehead and the reading of its position, as given by the scale 23, is recorded. Obviously the forehead member can be replaced at any time desired in the same position as when the first measurement was taken.

In order to provide for adjusting the expansible connection between the chin and crown mem bers, this connection being formed by the rod 12 and sleeve 13, well in front of the face where the nose of the patient interferes the forehead member 24 is provided with two openings 26 which are differently spaced from the forehead engaging surfaces of the member 24 and the rod 12 may fit in either of these openings as desired.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material principles involved. It is not therefore desired to confine theinvena tion to the exact formherein shown and de-' scribed, but it is desired to include all such forms as properly come within the scope claimed.

What is claimed, is: 1. Ina dental pressure gauge for determining bite conditions, a crown member, a chin member, an extensible connection between the crown and chin" members including a vertical rod having the crown member fixed to its upper end and a sleeve on the rod carrying the chin member, spring means on the rod urging said extensible connection to. contract and to move the crown and chin members toward each other, means to adjust the tension of said spring means, and a scale'arranged to show the extent of tensioning of the spring means.

2. In a dental pressure gauge for determining bite conditions, a crown member, a chin member, an extensible connection between the crown and chin members including a vertical rod having the crown member fixed to its upper end and.

a sleeve on the rod carrying the chin member, spring means on the rod urging said extensible connection to contract and to move the crown and chin members toward each other, means to adjust the tension of said spring means, a scale arranged to show the extent of tensioning of the spring means, and a second scale arranged to show the extent of extension of said extensible sleeve on the rod carrying the chin member,

spring means on the rod urging said extensible connection to contract and to move the crown and chin members toward each other, a forehead engaging member slidably mounted on the upper part of said extensible connection, and means to secure said last member in adjusted position on the extension.

4. In a dental pressure gauge for determining bite conditions, a vertical supporting rod, a crown member fixed on the upper end of said rod, a forehead engaging member slidably mounted for vertical movement on said rod, means to secure the forehead engaging member in adjusted position on said rod, a sleeve slidable on the lower part of said rod, a chin member extending from the lower part of the sleeve, a spring surrounding the rod below the sleeve, and means to adjust the tension of said spring.

5. In a dental pressure gauge for determining bite conditions, a vertical supporting rod, a crown member fixed on the upper end of said rod, a forehead engaging member slidably mounted for vertical movement on said rod, means to secure the forehead engaging member in adjusted posi tion on said rod, a sleeve slidable on the lower part of said rod, a chin member extending from the lower part of the sleeve, a spring surrounding the rod below the sleeve, a collar below the spring and forming a .seat for the lower end of the spring, an extension on the lower end of the sleeve and having a vertical slot therein, a graduated gauge strip fixed on said collar and extending upwardly through said slot, and a nut screwed on thelower end of the rod and bearing against said collar to regulate the tension on the spring.

6. In a dental pressure gauge for determining bite conditions, a vertical supporting rod, a crown member fixed on the upper end of said rod, a forehead engaging member slidably, mounted for vertical movement onsaid rod, means to secure the forehead engaging member in adjustedv position on said rod,.a sleeve slidable on the lower part of said rod, a chin member extending from the lower part of the sleeve, a spring surrounding the rod below the sleeve, a collar below the spring and forming a seat for the lower end of the;

7. In a dental gauge for determining bite di-- mensions, a vertical supporting rod having a crown member fixed to-its upper end, a forehead engaging member vertically adjustable on said rod, a chin member slidably fitted to the rod, a

spring on the rod bearing against the chin member to urge thesame toward the crown member, gauge means on the rod for determining bite dimensions and gauge means on the rod for indicating the spring tension. g

8. In a dental gauge for determining bite dimensions, a vertical supporting rod, a crown member fixed to the upper end of said rod, a forehead engaging member slidably mounted for adjustment on the rod, a chin member slidably mounted on said rod, a spring on the rod below the chin member to urge the same toward the crown member and gauge means on the rod for the spring to indicate the spring tension and other gauge means on the rod for indicating thebite dimensions.

JOSEPH v. SP'ITLER. 

